“no,” the word is barely a breath, soft enough she knows he doesn’t hear her through the now closed door. her heart aches in her chest, the small part of herself that’s still young and innocent and drenched in softness crying out for the path of peace her son is so desperately trying to urge her towards. but her tenderness is drowned by a larger ache, a pain and anger that burns through her in a way she’d never thought she’d experience again. she’d tried, this time. she’d sat by, let the clave take care of things they were meant to. instead they stayed idle while one of their own pitted downworlder against downworlder and turned the shadowworld upside down. she’d given them their chance, and if they wouldn’t step up and put an end to the mistreatment of downworlders she would…even if that meant standing against her own child. “please, grey. just go home. look after your people,” and i’ll look after mine.